Friday, July 28, 2017

Rubio is so busy with Venezuela/Cuba policy, no time for U.S. Domestic Issues. By Geniusofdespair

Andrew Oppenheimer wrote in the Miami Herald that Trump is letting Rubio rule on Venezuela Policy:

There is nothing wrong with Trump receiving advice from Rubio, a fluent Spanish-speaker who heads the Senate Western Hemisphere Subcommittee, except for the fact that the U.S. President seems to be totally side-stepping the State Department.

That prevents Trump from getting other important points of view from U.S. diplomats who may see things from a different perspective.

For instance, Rubio has suggested that the United States impose an oil embargo on Venezuela if Maduro goes ahead with his plans to re-write the constitution. But Rubio's view may be influenced by his desire to please his Florida constituents and make sure that the growing group of Venezuelan exiles vote for him in future elections.

Leading Venezuelan opposition figures tell me that a U.S. oil embargo would be a terrible idea. Much like what happened in Cuba, it would help energize Maduro's base by allowing him to claim that he is a victim of "U.S. imperialism." And it would fracture the bloc of more than a dozen major Latin American countries that are demanding that Maduro restore democracy in Venezuela.

Too bad the know nothing Senator doesn't care to meet with his citizens on other issues like healthcare. He's absent to the rest of us, avoiding any other issues at all cost.